Baroness Scotland of Asthal: At 1 December 2005 there were 24,168 people who were under 18 represented on the National DNA Database who had been arrested and sampled but not subsequently charged, cautioned or convicted for the offence for which they were sampled. While it is not currently possible to indicate whether these people have ever been cautioned, charged or convicted previously, 541 have subsequently matched to crimes represented on the National DNA Database, providing the police with key intelligence leads on the possible identity of the offender and assisting crime investigation and detection. The data used for this reply was taken from a "snapshot" of Police National Computer records and is not held by the National DNA Database. It has not been updated since December 2005 and a new set could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Home Office officials are working with colleagues in the Police Information and Technology Organisation (PITO) which is responsible for PNC and with police service staff to develop a process to routinely report this and other statistical information that is held on either NDNAD or PNC. This work is under way and I will write to the noble Baroness as soon as the work has been completed.

Lord Warner: The most recent published figures for staff numbers of consultant specialists in palliative medicine in England are from the June 2005 medical and dental workforce mini-census. At this time, there was a headcount of 195 and a full time equivalent figure of 161 for this staff group.
	The most recent vacancy data we have is from the 2005 medical and dental vacancy survey, which is based on three-month vacancy figures as at 31 March 2005. This shows a vacancy rate of 11.2 per cent. or 21 posts for England. Information relating to Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The latest figures relate to 2003–04. As pension credit was introduced only half way through that year, estimates should be treated with caution as they are based on only six months of data. It is estimated that between 44 and 51 per cent. of pensioner households are eligible to claim pension credit in 2003–04.
	Notes:
	1. Estimates are given as ranges in order to account for possible biases inherent in estimates from data that are less than perfect. They also take account of the effects of sampling variation.
	2. Estimates cover all those aged 60 and over in the private household population of Great Britain. The data source is the Family Resources Survey 2003–04.
	3. For the purposes of this analysis, a pensioner household is defined as either a single person aged at least 60 years old or, if a couple, both will be termed pensioners if one is aged at least 60 years old. This is consistent with both the definition used in "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-up" publications, and with the fact any individual aged 60 or over is entitled to pension credit.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The estimated set-up cost of a strategic police force for Wales is £35 million. Long-term savings made possible by the merger are currently estimated at around £16 million a year. We will pay 100 per cent. of reasonable set up revenue and capital costs, net of reasonable savings. The precise projected level of these costs and savings is a matter for negotiation, which is currently taking place.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The available information of current assessments is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Amalgamations Estimated Set up Costs£ million Estimated Savingsper annum(1)£ million 
			 West Midlands 51 26 
			 East Midlands 77 16 
			 Surrey & Sussex 27 15 
			 Eastern South 29 10 
			 Eastern North 29 9 
			 North East 46 16 
			 North West   
			 Merseyside & Cheshire 36 12 
			 North West   
			 Lancashire & Cumbria 22 7 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 39 18 
			 England 356 129 
			 Wales 35 16 
			 Grand Total(2) 391 145 
		
	
	1 Annual savings when restructuring is fully in place.
	2 Calculation of costs and savings in South West are in progress.